Game mechanism



Jan. 15, b1935. J.. w. PATTISQN GAME MECHANISM Filed oct', 7, 1929 5Sheets-Sheet 1 @NUN Jan. l15,. 1935. J, w. PATTlsoN GAME MECHANISM FiledOOG. 7, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 or y Jan. 15, 1935. l J. w. PA'rTlsoN GAMEMECHANISM Filed OCT.. 7, 192

5 eets-Sheet 4 Jan. 15, 1935. J. w. PA'rjnsoN 1,988,251

GAME MEcHANIs-M Filed Oct. 7, 1929 5 SheetS-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 15,1935 I l' .y l I vJohn W. Pattison, Absecon; :Ni "J.,assi`gnor 'of .one-5.1 :half to Irwin J.' Rider,'Absecon, lN.l J.

Application October j, 1929, vSerial Nol1:,977i'864'Y i I 20 Claims. 1(C1. 27s-ss) UNI-TED STATB My invention isjan improved game mechanismFig. 2; Fig. M12 nins-'a .1 transverse sectional View which maybe playedby onejor more persons, takenl on t'hevline..lf2-1.2` o f Fig. 2; Fig.13 is vand which is particularly. designed to per init a transversesectional View taken on the line play vwhich will closelysimulate theplays4 of a 13--713 of Fig. 2; Fg. 1 4 is a transverse sectional sregularly organized baseball game, and wherein View taken on vtheliner14--14 of Fig. 2;.Fig.l15` 5 skill and chance both contribute. tothe results is a transverse sectionalview taken on the line ofthevarious plays, and each play may .alect .15-15ofFigw2; Fig'. v16 isasectional View on y and be affected by the previous and subsequent line`1 6- 1 6 of Fig.l 2; Fig. 17 isa front elevaplays. tionnof thescoringboard for the vruns and outs;

lo By the utilization of my novel apparatus the Fig. 18 isladiagrammatic layout of the electric l0 'pitching or rolling of -amissile toward an. obwiring; Fig. l9.-ris simila r to Fig. 2, on' anenjective may produce a Variety of results comllarged scalegFig. 20y isaview ojf `the right-hand parable to the results `of a strike, ball, hit;two'- .end of'Fig. 6, onan enlarged scale; and bagger, three-bagger, orhome run, and the ef- .2 1 is a top-plan .viewof theyapparatusnear thel5 fects of each ball pitched or rolled upon-previ- Las viewed-:at theupper left-hand, end of l5 ously 'uncompleted plays, aswell vas theyresult Fig,4 19. v .f z 1 of the playA represented by thefball beingpitched .g-Avsl;.illustrated inA the gdrawings, (Fig. 1) a;

.or rolled, is automaticallyf indicated-ff and re- `frame lff'supportsan inclined alley 2 up vwhich, corded. Plays may be made continuouslyuntil balls are pitched or rolledat the target 3, (Fig.V

lo the occurrenceof three plays simulating outs, 5).1r Ihe `board 3 isdisposed -in ari-inclined v20 and the. end ofa'half` inning, Whenl'theappaposition above a chute-1 V(Figs. 1, 2 "and1'5) ratus must be resetto permit, the playing of a vdivided:intorunways `5,-6 .and 7, leadingtorun-` new half inning. vv\ra.ys...5 i, 6a,`` and 7a..'respective1y, ina chute AWhile myinvention is susceptible of -embodi- 8a. The lower edgeof thetarget `board13 con- 35 ment in Various forms,'it'preferablycomprises Stains recesses 8, 9 and-1 registerngwith run- 25 vapluralityof runways to which missiles'suchv-as wrfiys 11, -12 and 13 cfg-a chute14j (Figs. 1, 4 balls'are selectively admitted 'in accordancewith i and5) .f A V-shaped deflectorl 15 (Figs.^2,.4 andA the position'.occupiedby .the ball'onv approach- 5) 'isflxed tothe chute 14-with itsnose infront ing anl objective, and the several runwayscoh.- :0f runway12. `The deflector projects across the .30 tain movable devices wherebythe courses ofthe front of runways'l, andl'l, so that balls rolling 3oballs are deflected and indicated. I L". upon thesurfaceoffthe alley 2andlacking suiii- The characteristic features and operationsinlcientirripetusfto ride up `upon the target board 3 cident to myimprovements .Willmore vfully apare'ydeflected' intoweither therunwayyllor the pear vfrom the following description andfthe -runway.13'.`rv`(Figs. 2, 4 and 5.)- i .f

35 accompanying drawings of `an illustrative em- .d The upper edgela.of. vthe bottom'of. the'ii bodiment of my invention. f l.alley 2 :is:spaced from the forward edge of In the drawings Fig. 1 isja sideelevation of targetfpl'at'e 39(Fig. 2), so lthat a ball which falls apreferred embodiment of my invention; Fig. back lfrom'the targetplate' 3drops into. the 2 is a top planview thereof; Fig. 3 is an'y VendLrunwayll orthe runway 13. v

40 view, taken from theleft hand end of Fig. 3, When "a: ball is;tossed` or rolledup the ralley 40 with parts omitted for the sake ofclearer illus- `2 and entersthe runway v1`1 .ofthe chute 14 it` tration;Fig. 41s an enlarged topplanview of jSfde-lcted by y PVOtBCl gflliFgS-l, '7' and ya portion of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 2, -9)into the'runway S16 where it strikes the tail with parts removed; Fig. 5-is .a frontelevation '19 Of the gate M16-TOURS 'the latter 1113011tSTVOt of the target exemplifying; thebatters nog; {2 0 seas tofclosetheopeningzl inthe wall vof 45 Fig. 6 is a topplan vew of thefourth chute the'ruriway (Fig-4) 'Ifhe gatelS'is so mounted from the topshown in Fig. 1; Figfl is fagtransas to stay pu in its opened and closedposiverse sectional yview on the'line .'7-7 of Fig.A 4; tions. 'Ihe'ball then drops throughA the aper- Fig. 8.is a transverse sectionalView takenon-the 'ture 22 "(Fg'ls. 4 'and 7); into the return chute 2350 line 8-8 of Fig. 4; Fig. 9 is a detachedperspec- ..(Fg. 1)` Which vdni/STS the ball 130l a SOIagB tive View of one of the. pvoted gai-,esgr deflee- 'spac'e125below, vatlth'e front endv of the alley tors; Fig.10 is a transverse sectional view taken (Filgs.y 1 and2)'.gwflfhe'operation' of the gate on the line 10-10 of Fig. 2; Fig. 11is a transcauses a contact 26 (Figs. 4 andillwto engage a ,5,5 .versesectional View taken'on the linerll-ll of VContact27h-carriedV by acrossmember 28 and (55 closing a circuit which lights the light 29 onthe score board 30 (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 18).

Should a second ball enter the runway 11, either immediately after thefirst ball or after balls have entered other runways, such second ballentering the runway 11 passes` the` closed gate 18 and is deflected by asimilar second gate 31 into the runway 16 whereit operates the tail3210i '.thefgate, fand. drops-through the :taperture 33 into thev returnchute 23. -The rocking of the gate 31 causes the contact 34 Vthereon toengage with the contact 35 which closestng circuit illuminating a secondlight 36 .on .the Vscore board 30. n

`When a third ball enters r:the runwayflfL either` limmediately afterthe ball last iabove :described or at a later period in the ...playing.of a; game,

it passes the closed gates 18 and f31 a'nd."deV presses a contact 37(Figs.- 4 andfl) a contact 38 which closes a circuit illuminating a'third-light v 3'9- on the score board V3. D Y

4 i-aTl-ieball -the'n strikes 4theFleperfcli'ng rocker y"finger40 andpasses-aroundfa-=c1n-ved chute por- (Figs. #1,2 f and-6) .v "Thethirdstrike ball .passes -f fdown'wthefmnway 411unti1-it Strikes and-fisdeindicate one man out.

yfllhefrocker -nger =40 is fixed tof-a fshaft :'50 ('Figslf'4 and 8)which hasdepend-ingther'efrom "a rocker fnger' `51whi`c`h engagesand-rocks the #lever 52 ffixed @on :la .rocking 5shaftr15'31mountedvinsuitable bearings A*carriedby 'the iframe, the leverdbeing`counterloalanced{by a :weight I'54 f-(Fig. 58); The sliaftf53f'lr1a`s`fixed thereon :the depending ngers and {56 `which normally 'hangsbesidethe closed gatesandpwhenirocked '.or'turned aboutlthe axis. of the shaft'53" engage and -tur'n' :the 4gates '18 rand .'--31 (-Fi'g. 4) about-their 'upright pivots.. 20 to open .,position."

` 'sionof the runway 44'. The ball strikes-:the

ingE 60 through whichit passesintothe return chute 47a androllsthrough-the `crosschute48a Yand chute 23 to the ..box` 25 VasYpreviously vdescribed.- The rocking of Ythegate 258 causes the contactv61, corresponding ytothe contact .'45" to 4be brought 'into engagement(with. the contac't}62, correspondingto the .contact 45". Thiscloses thecircuit through the 4second out 'light '63 n(Fig. 17) 'onithescore/board `\4^8 to 'indicate a iseco'nd'man'out.j`v j 1 Y "Y l ingthree missiles., into the runway 11 either inv sequence or interspersedwith other plays,the third'ball of the third player, thus resulting inVa strike after reaching the runway 41 passes both the closed gates 43.and 58 and passes under and rocks a depending rocker nger or hanger 64(Figs. 2fand'6) and drops through vthe aperture 65 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6).The depending rocker; nger 641s` fixed tofa yiournalled shaftfiwhichrhasiprojecting therefrnmmn arm `or lever 67 which depresses anarm or lever 68 Mixed toa shaft 69 journalled in suitable bearings andhaving thereon a finger 70 for opening :"thergate58 and a dependingfinger 71 for openvi-ng Atlfieygate'43f` (Figs.'.;=2, 6 and 13) 1.Uponzropping through the opening 65, `the vballengages,androcks an arm72 of a, trigger '73 '(FigsL '6`and^1"4) pivoted on a bearing 73 on the:side of the chute 42. This trigger has a toothed end normallysupporting the counteriiivceig'htedsfend174 fof-lJa-Lll'ever174.- Theaction of `the counterweighted-end 74'" inrookingfthelslever '74 -issupplemented lbyv the impact ofv the Adescendfing ball with tlieend"74"^after having vrocked.

'fthe ltr-iggrerr arm f72. f-Thelever j74 vispivotally supported by'thefpivot 75 (Figs.' 2-'a`nd-6) The -end f76 ofthe lever 74r`also1h`asthereon a con- -ta'ct "T78 which is -f moved by fthe elevation. `of ltheend 76 into engagement with a contact v78ifor fclesing'f'th'e circuitoiia `laxnp' $.79 -Son the score 'board 48 to-)indicate Athat the `thirdplayer lis-` out and the '.rst ihalf. 'of the-inning ended.` v The`vball' has meanwhile ldropped: into the crossy chute -48a(Fig. 1).hndlpassed through Ithel chute 'L23l 'foregoing Adescription .is '7:given i .to afford sa fcomplete 'understanding ynf ,the mechanismyactuated byballs yentering thetrunway 11,4regardless-of' -Whe'therithe istrikes fare. nlsequence, or. inter- 7 If a pitched or rebounding ball,impelled up the chutefor ialley .22.insta'd :of: entering the run-Yreception `of :missiles `representing ..balls\ (Figs. '44fand:-5).,1L'thefrstball Vis deected .by f the 1 gate `80 into=the:run-Wayf17. The ballrocksthe tail -81 :of the egatepbefore vdropping:through Athe .opening-i232,.and'therebyclosesthe gate-80. .The

closure of thei'gateimov'es=1the.contact 83 .finto engagementviwith: the1 contact r. 84 rand'fcloses the -circuit A-of :the ilamp '851 lon .thevscore iboard@ to indicate .oneball` '.Theball passing through theaperture `82 drops into `the'return 'chute 223 and returns to thestoragefboxi25.

Aesecond ball pitChed-Or'rebOunding into the -runway -1-3 )passes ftheclosed gate 580 and -isfdefflected by the open gate 86 'into the runway1-7 land 'dropsfthrough `the-'aperture 87 into the "rturnvfrunwafy 23and ba'ck-to-fthe box 25. 'In `passing to theapeture -87 the ball rocksthe -tail 88 -o'fthegate''86 `-soas to closethislgate and *bring j{thelContact 89 thereon into engagement with 'the'contact 9'0lto close lthecircuit of` the flight 91 "on 1 the score yboard ..30 to -indi'cateia`second"ball'.` `r i f The third balli-pitched! or vrebounding Yinto.the

'is-v de'ected by thefopen gate $9.2'v into -th'e runway IT-where itdrops V`through the 'aperture V/93 finto thefreturn run-way 1231-aft'errocking the tail `l94gfof "the igate A92 to -close vvthe cflatter 'andlbring the contact -95 1 intofengagementmith the ,Y contact ..96

gns

Icuit, ofand i'llumhiatethe light 136'01'1 thefs'oore '.board48;the"contacts 137 land v138 toI close the Vycircuitrof andfilluminatethe. light 139 on` the Ascoreboard:48; the contact 140 and '141,to'closethe 4circuitrof.` and illuminate the light 142 `on i, the-scoreboard.48;-:the contacts 143and 144 to 'tnereby :closing fthe circuit 'ofwthelamp 9'1Lon the score board'v to :indicate-a. third. ba'll..'-'I-he-'fourth'ba'll pitched Vor rebounding into -Lthe runway-13 passestheclosedgates 80,' 86'1andff92, depress'esflthe Contact '.98`againstsi'fheE contactY 99 v.to close` the circuit 'ofthe lainp 100onlthe'score board 130y to indicate'affourth ball-'ferititling .theIbatter to his-base on balls. yAfter closing this circuit, the fourthballrpasses under the'de'pending nger 101 fixed totheshafft=50..--(ligs.\ 4 and 8.)l Theffro'ckingv of the shafti` 50?'. actsvthrough the memberi5l to'depress thezlever .102 The lever 52 Iacts asheretoforedescrib'ed 4toopen the gatesi^18 vand 31,5?and' theleveri102acts" through the' jour?.- :nalled shaft 103 and the pins104, 105 and106 depending. therefrom ,tOsimilaily' open .the gates A80,-86 and92"(Figsf4y7 and.8)... f '.When the fourth ball entering the runwayzl-Slhas passed the. rocker nger 1011, it yrolls y.around -the curved`.runway portion 40a" 4and drops vthrough-:ran` opening 13a intotherunwayl r107 ofthe Achute 42 (Figs. 2 and 6).. The ball rolls I'down the.runway 107 until it is deflected byxa pivoted gate 108fand stopped by aprojecting pin 109 mounted upon. acounterbalanced lever 1-10 carried/bya.' journalled shaft 111.. .In this Astopped position, the. ball vrestsuponl `a 'spring contact1112 which it depresses inta-engagement with aContact 113, of a light .114 representing Afirst` base andlindicatingthat there is now a manon first base. ,l When the ball strikesvthe tail ofthe vgate ,108, the latter is deflected intof closed.position, .so that 1a secondball passing .down fthe; `runway 107. atjtheend offa )second groupfof, four".balls passesthe gate 108 and isydeflected' by asecond vpivoted gate, 115.y Aballdeflected by'ltheggate` y-causes the contact ,116 ,to engage thecontact V117 andilluminates-thelight 118 :t0 indicate that aman isqon secondbase. Theball .which 4is deflected-by thegate 1-153closes thisl gate byengagement with itsitail fand isstopped by the pin l119 which ismovableupr., and Vdown by a counterbalanced leverY 12,0 fixed totheshaft'lll. Should there be athird groupjof four, balls enter the runwayv13, the fourth ball fof such third lgroup will roll downthe runway 107and pass brothofthe yclosed gates 108jand y115. ASuch ball will,however, .be .d eected by, the gate 12,1 to causethe contact122to.engage the contact A12,3, thereby closing they ,circuit of the`lamp 124, which is thus illuminated to indicate that there are men onallthree bases. The ygate 121g1is closed bythe contact of the ball withthetail of the gate, and this ballis stoppedvby, the pin 125 movablevertically by a counterbalanced lever or arm 126 xed on, the shaft 111.

, l Should a fourth group of vfour balls enterV-V the runway 13, eitherin sequence or interspersed with .other `plays of the game, thefourthball ofthe vfourthr'group will roll down the'runway 107 past the`closed gates 108,. .115 and 121until it is stopped yby thelpin 127. ;Therst-ball resting against the pin 127 presses the contact 128 against aycontact 129-and closesga circuit to the sc ore boardu48 (Figs. 17-andI18) to indicate'that-the person or persons simuside at bat has scoredone run; As

additional runs are scored bythe side playing, the additional ballrepresenting each, run accumulates behind; the -rst ,ball and close in.se- Aquence the contacts 131 and 132 `to close the cir- Acuit of andlight .the lamp 133 on the score board y.48; k-the contactsf134 andl135,110 close the. cir.-

von-Lfthe. score board ber.. of" contacts as may rcircuit of andvilluminate any. additional lamps 'whichpmaybe provided upon thescore'board 48 con a .pintle;149.l -l48 -is coupledfwith or operated byl thelever .74

advances each ball one etures; 46, v6-0 and. 65.

close fthe :circuit of and illuminate ,the light 48, and such additionalnumbe desired to close ythe to indicate additional runs. v

The.'pin 127-,1by which theballs are retained in position during .-ahalf inning, ,is mountedupon Va-.lever 1,146 (Figs. 2, 6y and.14)pivotedon the shaft 147 andahaving its` opposite end loosely coupled withy oroperated by a lever 148 pivote'd The `further end of `the lever`depressed by the fall *Y of va a third Eman out.4 Conse- -when the.latter is ball .representing -quently when 'the `third man has beenAputout on afside,fthe pin, 127l is depressed and" the accumulated ballsfall-through an aperture 150 into the chutev48arfrom which-they returnthrough the chutef23 to the storage-box r25 for the Abeginning l.of anew'half of an inning.- f i i "-'It will of --course bel understoodthat' the bases l. ffonfpballsg-,needf not result fromfsequen'tialplays, Y thereby closing the circuit u v,the ball isthrown.- through theopening 9 into lthe runway 12, it rollsover1the contact `151 which ispressed into engagement withfthe coni tact'1-52 and closes the circuitof the lamp 153 f on the scoreboard 130 to .indicate that the batter'hashit the ball. vThe ball then passes under the` lever 5 1,I which lisrocked thereby't'o operate the f rlevers 52and 102,1 which act, throughthe mech- .anismdescribed,` toopen'the gates 18, 31,811.86,

.and92 if any ofthese gates representingballs and strikes gare crlosed;The ball continues downthefrunway 12 and aroundjthe jcurve 40a attheendy thereof` and drops through angopening-f 12a onto the 'lever 154(Figs. 1,2 and lppivotedjonthe pintle' 155 and rdisposed in the runwayA1567 between thearunways 41 .and r107 (Figs- 2', 6 andjl).` the.lever.-154 rocks thelatter upon its fulcrum andl elevatesfthe armj157which acts through theglnk 1,58y (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and) upon the arm '159fixed to -the shaft 111 journalled in suitable bearings on rocking o fthe shaft y 110, 120 and l1,26 to and.g;1 25 `and permits the bottom of4the, chute ,42.A

111-acts through the arms the passage of any `balls which may ,haveAbeen resting against these pins.

The ,depression of the lever `154 by a ball rep- Ares'entinga fair.ball, *if` aihit thus clears each baser-of the ball previously stoppedthere, and base, or permits the deflection of such ball. into the.runway 4,1 to indicate a man put out, as follows:v The ball passing fromthe lever 154 strikes the point of .the deflector 160 by which itA maybe vdeilected toward the right-2(Figs. 2 and 6), or

downwardly, as shown-in these figures, Aand stop against the pin 10,9representing rst base', or'

.toward the left, ror downwardly, as viewed inthe ,dravvir 1gs,andvpermitted to roll down the runway 41 Ytowardthe frou gates 43 and 58and aper- The second and third base stop pins119 and 125 likewise havepointed deflectors 161 vand 162 adjacent thereto, respecdepress the pins109,y 119` .onelofhthe pins .109,2119 zand.

ztively,a.ndzthehw1e plateapnl'm. ismlso pruifvided .with a?. deector.:1163 ,sin fads/ance' @thereof :byf which balls .a rolling itowardlithesehases-;fmay ibeeithersstopped et lthese .pins or liectedfinto Lthe.runway 4];` and `thereby .ftransmitted.. to the "o1`1t". gates lor;aperture. .,Ajbagll strikingfrdahe :deector 163 ,.atiithe home Yrplate:may be y:rie'ileoted -eitheit-.downsinto .the ,runl :section .ofz runwayv107 fand stopped1by thepink 12.7 :or 4balls bearing @against lsuchspin, i or may, :be .-deflected.iintoi'the :runway1 41 Aaandfithen:.1throug`h.^one :of the `-'.out gates or aperture. y

Itiwi'll bez'understoodA thatsa ballfengagingany '125 -either from therunway .v 1107, :ther 4runway 156, .for f after :release fx-omapreviousV oner of@` zadj acent to isu'ch :.pin, thereby .fpermitting 'a':bail representingrna"battedfball or "fwalklto roll fdoW-n therunway*1"07 until :such ball reaches fthe ifrstl o'f theagates108;".1115 and ='.121.1whioh 'iis open, whenit will beI deflectednbytheopen gate fagainstl'thecorresponding pin. I-Should thereibe'.able'lbearings.

a `ibal1lforba11sfagainst =one `or lmoreiof l the spins '109,"1119.andli125-a't the' time 'when-.la .thirdwman is put-.1 out' byf thepassage fof--athirdllball `:through he opening. 65, the 'fbasesfarevacatdlbyifthe rocking of the lever .74 '.Wh'ioh' elevatesthe iarm164-ofa journalledshaft 1'65 oumalled in Suitmmm these -pnssclosesithegate .ture 2214,1'it enters the' "the feo'ntaict '32155 against the ilamp 'f2-17. lIt -then the i-roekerfnger 189 h'actsfthmughithenmeehanismmay have been closedl byprevious balls-repre-y senting strikes.andfballs. The three-basey hitball then passes underthe lever 195, and,through the mechanisms'described, retracts the pins 109, 119 and'125landelevates thepins 174, and 176. The ball then passes around the runwayand drops through the' aperture 218 on to the lever 206, which, throughthe mecha-` nisms described, actuates the pins 109, 119 and 125, and174, 175 and 176' in reverse directions. The ball then' rolls along thelever 206 between the-guides -206 and drops' into thefrunway 107 betweenthe second and third basepins 119 and 125, and is Vstopped by the pin125, having meanwhile closed the gate 121 "andfdep're'ssed' the isrockedV to actuate the mechanism described. for opening any closed balland `fstrik'e gates in the chute 14. `It then passeshnder the rock-4 er194 andacts, through' the mechanisms described, to depress the pins109,:"1'197fa'nd 125,y and elevate Athe pins 174,` 175 and-`176 topermit i the movement of 'any' balls rwhich may have been on bases.These pins-are "latched inf position above 'described while `"the 1 ballis pro-` y ceeding around the runway to ther aperture 224, through'vwhich the ball dropsand1 1 engages and 207 acts throughX `the;mechanisms [described to elevate the `pins.v 109,' 119`and,125,' andretract the pins 174, 175 and v`176iA 'Ilieloall rolls down the lever207 betweenthe guideways 207', and is dischargedfinto the runway 107below the deector 163 andcloses one o the contacts adjaf cent to theypin 127.y L j lit will be, observed n that- V'when` a 'two-base' 'hitis made, the ballswhich may have been on bases are advanced bythedepression ofthe `pins 109, 1 19 and v125, and @hef-elevation @f.therpins 174, 175 and 176, and the nurnber of'bases that'such balls areadvanced v'is dependentlprimarily upon the interval betweenne ctaupnf'such pins by the movement of 1th rocker y192and their 'releasebythe actuation of tnl ret: ker 204; This interval is dependent uponyth'e"speed' of,` the ball, and,` by controlling.'suchispeed, it isp'os-Ysiblethat' tn egbalis previously, on base vmay be advancedoneorrnoreba'sesfby a two-base hit. When ath'reeLbase hit is made, the.interval between the' operationfof the pins through the rocker-l and`theirk second` actuation byfthe movement A of the rocker 20 6j isordinarily longer Ibecause the ball hasa further distance to travel,

and consequently the probability is greaterof advancing more than onebasev the balls previ-r ously on'lcpasesv n '-Q ,i TWherr a4 home runrplay maderthelinterval between the operation of the pins'throughtheleverv 194 and the operation of the pins through .the lever 224is-stilllongerff-and yconsequently Ythe probability is that alltheballs`previously onibasesl willhave completedtheir runs past vthe* deector.163 and into th'elhomefrun compartmentbeforethe lever "224 isvoperated-by the home run ball to' release Vthe*shafts-170'-aiid `i111andoperate the pins.A

By' my improved apparatus a" largevariety prisingy a runway,"a

ofsplays of a' regular ballgame maybesimulated andthe consequences ofsuch play-are reproduced in the. scoring and in the condition of theballs representing players and. teamsy as in a` regular game. v i 1 Itwill be understood that while I have describedthe plays in a specificsequence, the se quence described will not ordinarily occur, butplaysfof different kinds will `be interspersedv with one another- Forinstance, a batter on one team may make Ltwo strikes and three ballsyand then: make .aqhome'run and thereby clear the ma` chine for the nextbatter.` The next batter may. make initially a three-base hit vand beVleft on base as 'a result fof three vsucceeding .batters makinggthreestrikes each, or. being otherwise; putiout. s That is, a ball will beleft against the. pin 125 'for return to theV storage bin 25. whenrv themachine is reset for the next batter. :In- 1 stead of the. second playerbeingrputout'by the ending of `his sides half of-thegamahe may be putyout by a player who makes v`thewplay batter hits ball, as in sucheventuthe pin 17.6k is" not' elevated when the ypin 125` is depressed,and the ball at the third .base pin 125 may @be Adeflected'by the` point163'adjacentto home base into 'the runway 41 instead of into the runwayforrecording runs.` i 'f When three batters have beenput v'out,-oneghalf', an inning has been finished, and the' lever 179 is operated torelease'the latch 177, andto elevate'the lever 74. into engagement-withthe. latch 73.' The next halof the inning may then be playedr and manyplays occurringin a'regular baseball gamel simulated and recorded.:Having described my invention I clair'nz-pz 1. Anvapparatus of thecharacter described comprising a plurality of runwaysteach provided witha'plurality of 'gates operable by balls .enfgaging therewithanddeflected thereby, anda second setof runwayseach containing` mecha.-n'i'sm operable" by a ball passing through the respectiveirunways of thesecond set, saidl mechani'sms-Ibeing. 'operatively' connected with. .and

operating-the gates ofthe `first named runways upon the actuation ofany'of saidrmechanisms;

from second said runway into iirst namedflrun -way,a third runwayhavingl a plurality. of gates 'for' diverting ballstherefrom, `mechanismoperi-z able by'a' ball passing through 1 said thirdv named runway foractuating said gates last named, and

ball operated mechanism Vfor actuating the'stops of said i'lrstI named'runway and the gates of said second named runway; y he characterdescribedcomplurality o f movable Ystops controlling passage to saidrunway, mechanism operable by a ball passingthrough said runway 2:apparatus, of;

`for operating stops aforesaid, afsecondrunway,

mechanism operable Aby a ball'pa'ssing through said second named runwayfor operatingA stops aforesaid, a third runway,g'ates controllingfthepassage ofaballs from said thirdnamed runway linto the first namedrunway, a fourth runway,

gates controlling they passage of balls through said fourth runway,mechanism operableby a ball for operating the gates of said fourth namedrunway, and ball-operable mechanism for actuating'the gates of saidthirdl named runway and the stops of said iirstnamed runway.

1,988,251 a series of gates for successively deflecting balls andoperable by the deflected balls, means operable by balls passing saidgates for operating the gates, a passageway, means controlling thepassage of balls through said passageway, and means operable by a ball,which has actuated said control means, for actuating said gate operatingmeans.

16. Baseball game apparatus comprising a target including a runway forballs received by the target, movable elements for stopping balls atdifferent positions along the runway, ball operated means controllingthe movement vof the balls to be stopped successively or selectively bysaid movable elements, and ball operated means for actuating saidmovable elements to release the balls.

17. Baseball game apparatus comprising a target including a runway forballs received bythe target, movable elements for controlling Ithemovement of balls to selectively pursue different courses through saidrunway and ball-operated means controlling said movable elements.

18. Baseball game apparatus comprising a target including a runway forballs received by the target, a series of movable elements for stoppingballs at different positions'along the runway, a series of ball-operablemovable gates for directing the movement of the balls relative to saidmovable elements, and ball-operated mechanism for controlling saidmovable elements to stop and release the balls.

19. Baseball game apparatus comprising an alley constituting a ballpath, a lower set of side and intermediate runways in said path at thealley head, a deflector in said path tending to direct balls from theintermediate runway toward the side runways, an upper set of runways insaid path above said rst set, and a target above said upper set havingball-receiving apertures in register with the runways of the upper set.

20. Baseball game apparatus comprising an alley constituting a ballpath, a set of parallel runways including runways in said path at thealley head, a deector for directing balls toward diierent runways of theset, ball-operable means in and controlling passage of the balls throughcertain runways of the set, and mechanism in another runway of the setand responsive to the operation of said ball-operable means for con-vtrolling the movement of said 'ball operable means.

JOHN WM. PATTISON.

